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After a 17-month hiatus, Miesha Tate made a triumphant return to the octagon, showcasing dominance in her bantamweight bout on the UFC on ESPN 52 prelims at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. Tate (21-9 MMA, 7-6 UFC) secured victory over Julia Avila (9-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) by submission at 1:15 of Round 3.
From the onset of the fight, Tate exhibited superior grappling skills, employing strong wrestling and launching frequent submission attempts against Avila. Despite Avila's initial resistance to submission tries, she succumbed early in Round 3 when Tate executed a rear-naked choke, prompting a swift tap from her opponent.
Post-fight, the fired-up Tate credited her success to the hard work invested in her training camp, fueled by motivation drawn from persistent mentions of "retirement" by MMA enthusiasts. However, despite her commanding performance, Tate appeared to suffer a leg injury and was carried out of the cage by her fiancé, Johnny Nunez.
Tate, 37, now holds a record of 2-2 since her return from retirement in 2021. In her previous outing, she attempted a flyweight bout, resulting in a one-sided loss to Lauren Murphy in July 2022. Tate, expressing her commitment to the bantamweight division, plans to continue competing at this weight class.
For Avila, 35, the return to competition after a hiatus due to pregnancy ended in disappointment. Having not competed since June 2021, she now holds a record of 1-2 in her most recent three bouts. Despite the setback, Avila's journey continues, and she looks ahead to future challenges in the competitive bantamweight division.